Mechanical directory.



No. 697,378. Patented Apr. 8, |902. G. W. MAXWELL. MECHANICAL umEcTon-YL (Application fils-31.1 Oct. 23, 1900.) (No Model.) 2- Sheetsv-Shaet I.

No. 697,378. Patented Apr. 8, |902.

G. W. MAXWELL.

MEGHANIGAL DIRECTORY.

(Applicatidn led Oct. 23, 1900.)

(No Model- 2 'sheets-sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EErcE.

GEORGE vW. MAXWELL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MECHANICAL DIRECTORY.

SPECIFICATION `forming part of Letters Patent NO. 697,378, dated April 8, 1902.

Application led October 23,1900. Serial No. 34,079. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WASHINGTON MAXWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of Oalifornia,have invented new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Directories, of which the following is a specitication.

This invention relates to a mechanical directory of the type heretofore invented by me and set forth in certain applications for patents which I have tiled in the United States Patent Office as follows: Serial No. 676,132, tiled April 1, 1898, renewed August 1, 1900, Serial No. 25,591; Serial No. 684,712, filed June 29, 1898, renewed Augustl, 1900, Serial No. 25,592; Serial No. 705,446, tiled -February 13, 1899, and Serial No. 737,688, tiled November `20, 1899, and in which applications I have shown and described a directory comprising the combination of two rollers; a strip fastened at its `ends to said rollers, respectively, to be wound Y and unwound fro-1n roller to roller; means for driving one of said rollers; means for driving the other of said rollers; a prime mover adapted to be moved in one and the other direction, andautomatic reversing mechanism operated by the prime mover and interposed between said prime mover and the means for driving said rollers to operate the one of said means to drive one of said rollers and to release the other of said rollers when the prime mover is turned in one direction and to operate the other means to drive the other roller 'and to release the first-named means and roller when the prime mover is turned in the other direction.

In my application Serial No. 737,688, tiled November 20, 1899, I have described and claimed the combination of a plurality of pairs of rollers; a plurality of strips fastened at their opposite ends to the rollers of said pairs respectively to be wound and unwound from roller to roller of their respective pairs, means operatively connect-ed with one roller of each of said pairs tol cause said rollers to simultaneously rotate, means operatively connected with the other. roller of each of said pairs to cause said other rollers to simultaneously rotate, a reversible prime mover, and automatic-shifting power-transmitting mechanism interposed between said prime mover and said roller-rotating means to drive the one and release the other of said roller-rotating means when the prime mover is operated in the one direction and vice versa when the prime mover is operated in the other direction. I have also shown and claimed the combination, with said mechanism, of a supplemental directory-strip and an index, and for that reason said inventions are not broadly claimed herein.

An object of my present invention is to produce a mechanical directory which will run lighter and more perfectly and practi- Vcally without any noise.

My present invention relates to improvements whereby the use of cog-wheels is dispensed with, and the invention is operated by sprocket chains and wheels; also, to improvements whereby the index is cheapened, simplified, and reduced in size and diminished in speed. It also relates'to novel means for the automatic reversal of the directorystrip.

It is to be understood that in carrying out parts of my presentinventionlam not limited to the use of sprocket chains and wheels; but I prefer such use and have therefore illustrated the invention only as applied with sprockctchains and wheels.

My present invention embraces the various parts and combinations for operating the directory-strips and also embraces the novel indexing appliance shown, whereby the eX- hibition of the printed matter on the rapidlymoving directory-strips will be indicated by the exhibition in succession of appropriate characters on a slowly-moving index-strip.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure I is a fragmental perspective view of my invention, parts being broken away for clearness of illustration. Fig. II'is a front elevation of the means for driving the rollers and for automatically reversing the movement of the directory-strips. Portions of the vsprocket-chains are broken away for clear- Vness of illustration.

Fig.,III is a sectional elevation on line III III, Fig. IV, looking to the left. Portions of the frame or support are broken to expose the rollers and ribbons. Fig. IV is a front elevation of -my newly-invented mechanical directory. Portions of the IOO case are broken for cleai'ness of illustration. Fig. V is a horizontal sectional detail of the prime-mover shaft and a fragment of. the master sprocket-wheel. Line V V, Fig. II, indicates the line of section.

40 indicates in a general way a frame or support for the mechanism, and 50 a motor.

a a indicate a pair of rollers. b b' indicate another pair of rollers.

c indicates a directory-strip faste-ned at its ends, respectively, to the rollers a a.

d. indicates a directory-strip fastened at its ends, respectively, to the rollers b b of the other pair. Suitable means operatively connect one roller aof the one pair with the one roller b of the other pair to cause their simultaneous operation. Such means preferably consist of a sprocket-chain e, a sprocket-wheel l for the roller a, and a sprocket-wheel 2 for the roller 7J. Like means c l' 2 operatively connect the other roller a of the one pair with the other roller b' of the other pair for their simultaneous operation. Suitable means are provided for driving one of said .first-named connected rollers a b.

f indicates a roller-driving sprocket-Wheel constituting the means for driving the roller a, and g indicates a clutch for connecting said roller-driving meansfwith and disconnecting it from said roller a. f indicates like roller-driving means for driving one of said second named connected rollers. A clutch g is provided for connecting said roller-driving means f' with and disconnecting it from said other roller a. In the drawings the roller-driving meansfandf' are on the rollers a a', respectively. 71 indicates a m aster-wheel operatively connected with both of said roller-driving means for simultaneously driving them. When sprocket-Wheels are used, as shown atff, the master-wheel 7L is also a sprocket-wheel and is connected with said sprocket-wheels f f' by means of the sprocket-chain i. Suitable means are supplied for rotating the master-wheel in one and the other direction. For this purpose a suitable prime mover, such as the crankj, fastened to a shaft 7s, is arranged to turn said shaft, and the wheel 7i is mounted on said shaft to have aliinited rotation thereon.

m and 'n indicate pins on the shaft and wheel respectively arranged on one side of the master-wheel to engage with each other when the crank is turned in one direction to cause the crank to turn the Wheel before the crank makes a complete revolution in the one direction. m yn indicate two like pins on the other side of the master-wheel, which willengage with each other to turn the master-wheel 7i when the 'crank is turned in the other direction. Suitable means are operatively connected with said master-wheel 7L for simultaneously operating the clutch meehanismsg g to throw the one into and the other ont of operation when the wheel is rotated in one direction and vice versa when the wheel is rotated in the other direction. Such means as illustrated consist in a screw-threaded portion o on the shaft 7e, a nntp for the masterwheel 7L, screwed on the screw-threaded portion o to shift the master-wheel along the shaft as the shaft is turned in one and the other' direction, a lever q, pivoted by a pivot rand furnished with two arms s, which stand, respectively, on the opposite sides of the master-wheel 7L, to be engaged thereby when the wheel shifts laterally, the other end of the lever q being connected through the roller-driving means f to operate the clutch g,connected therewith, to throw said clutch into and out ofaction, thus to connect and disconnect such roller-driving meansfwith and from the roller a when the wheel 7L is shifted in one and the other direction, respectively, and a like lever q, pivoted by a pivot 7" and arranged with arms s',which stand,respectively,on the opposite side of the wheel 71., said lever q being operatively connected through the other rollerdriving means f' for operatingthe clutch g to connect and disconnect said clutch, so that the reversal of the rotation of the prime mover will simultaneously throw the one clutch mechanism into and the other clutch mechanism out of operation.

When the crank ,7' is tu rned in one direction, the screw o, acting on the nut p, will shift the wheel 71. in one direction, thus throwing one clutch out and the other clutchinto operation-thus, for instance, releasing one roller a and rotating the other roller and a reverse movement of the crank causes the screw 0 to shift the wheel 7L in the other direction, thus disconnecting the other roller a and connecting the roller a.

The directory-strips c and c7 are furnished with systemmatically-arranged information 7 7', appropriately printed upon both sides of the strips, and the information contained therein will be exhibited through four openings t1t. uindicates idlers appropriately arranged for properly holding the directorystrips in position forexhibition through said openings.

a; o indicate index-strips connected by a cord or other flexible connection w with a spindle 0c, which is connected by the sprocketwheel jl/,sprocket-chain @and sprocket-wheel y/ with one of the rollers a, so that the rotation of the roller will move the index-strip synchronously with the movement of the directory-strip and in appropriate relation thereto. The index-strips are arranged on opposite sides of the front of the case 3 of the machine, and their index characters 4: are appropriately arranged to be separately exhibited through sight-openings 5 in said case 3, which constitutes a cover for all portions of said strips (not shown) through the sightopenings.

6 indicates a spring which may or may not be supplied to return the index-strip to normal position. Such spring is not positively required, for the reason that the index-strip t' will be a metal bar of suiiicient weight to ICO IIO

descend by its own gravityV and the liexible connection w will operate to lift the bar endwise against the force of gravity when the machine is operated in one direction and allow it to descend when the machine is operatedrin direction to' bring the required name intoV view. I-Ie will determine the direction in Which the crank istobe turned byinspection of the directory-strip and index. He will turn the crank rapidly inthe required direction and will watch the slowly-moving index un' til the appropriate character appears in the sight-opening of said index. turn the crank more slowly to allow him to inspect the names under the appropriate'char-A acter on the directory-strip and will turn the crank until the required'name is brought to view. When the crank has beenturned inw one direction and it is desired to turn the ribbonin the other direction, the crank will be reversed, and the screw-thread o, operating upon the nut pgwill shift the member h along the shaft k, thus operating the levers q' to simultaneously release one of the clutches and engage the other clutch, thus releasing the rollers at one end of the strips andl operating the rollers at the other ends of the strips,- thus reversing the movement of the ribbons or strips cd.

What I claim,'and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. The combination of two pairs of rollers; a strip fastened'at its ends 'respectively to the rollers of one pair; a strip fastened at its ends respectively to the rollers of the other pair; means operatively connecting one roller of one pair with one roller of the other pair for their simultaneous operation; means operatively connecting the other roller of one pairI with the other roller of the other pair for their simultaneous operation; means for driving one of said rst-nained connected rollers; a clutch for connecting said means with'and disconnectingY it from saidiroller; means for drivlng one of said second-named connected,

rollers; a clutch for connecting said means with and disconnecting it Vfrom said lastnamed roller; a wheel operatively connected with both of said roller-'driving means forV simultaneously driving them; means for rotating said Wheel in one and the other direction; and means operatively connected withy said wheel for simultaneously operating the clutch mechanisms to throw the one intoand the other out of operation when the wheel is' rotated in one direction, and vice versa when the Wheclis rotated in the other direction.

2. 'Thc'comb'ination of two pairs of rollers;

, a strip fastened at its ends respectively to the rollers of one pair; a strip fastenedat its ends respectively to thefrollers'of Vthe other pair; means operatively connecting one rollerof one pair with one roller of the other pairfor their lsimultaneous operation; vmeans operatively connecting the other roller of one pair with the other roller of the other pair for their simultaneousoperation; means for driving one of said lirst-named connected rollers; a

f, clutch for connecting said means with and disconnecting itV from said rollers; means for driving one of said second-named connected rollers; a clutch for connecting said means with and disconnecting it from said lastnamed roller; a wheel operatively connected with both of said rollerdriving means for simultaneously driving them; means for rotating said wheel in one andthe other direction; means for shifting said wheel to one side when rotated in one direction and to the other side when rotated in the other direction; and

` means operatively connected with said shifting wheel to respectively operate the clutches to simultaneously connect the one clutch and disconnect the other clutch when the kwheel is .shifted to one side, and vice ve'rsa when the *Wheel is shifted to the other side.

q` respectively tothe rollers of theother pair;

means operatively. connecting one roller of one pair with one roller ofthe other pair for their simultaneous operation; means operatively connecting the other roller of the one pair with the other roller of the other pair for their simultaneous operation; means for driving one of said first-named connected rollers; a clutch for connecting said means Witlland disconnecting it from Yitsroller; means for driving one of said second-namedconnected rollers g' aclutch for connecting said means with and disconnecting it from its roller; a Wheel operatively connected with both of said roller-driving means for simultaneously driving them; means for rotating said wheelin one 'and the other direction; means for lshifting said Wheel to one side when rotated in one direction'and to the other side when rotated in the other direction; andlevers operativelynconnected with said shifting Wheel to respectively operate the clutches to simultaneously connect the one clutch and disconnect theother clutch When the Wheel is shifted to one side, and vice versa Whenthe wheel is shifted tothe other side.

4. The combination of two pairs of rollers; a strip fastened at its ends respectively to the rollers of one pair; a strip fastened at it-s ends respectively to the rollers of theother pair; means operatively connecting one roller of one pairwith one roller of the otherpair for their simultaneous .operation means operatively connecting the other' rollerof one pair ICO IIO

IZO

one of said first-named connected rollers; a clutch for connecting said means with and disconnecting it from said roller; means for driving one of said second-named connected rollers; a clutch for connecting said means with and disconnecting it from its roller; a shaft furnished with a screw-threaded portion; a Wheel furnished with a nut mounted on said threaded portion and having a limited rotation on said shaft; and means operatively connected with said wheel to respectively operate the clutches to simultaneously connect the one clutch and disconnect the other clutch when the wheel is shifted to one side, and Vice versa when the Wheel is shifted to the other side.

5. The combination of two pairs of rollers; a strip fastened at its ends respectively to the rollers of one pair; a strip fastened at its ends respectively to the rollers of the other pair; means operatively connecting one roller of one pair with one roller of the other pair for their simultaneous operation; means operatively connecting the other roller of one pair with the other roller of the other pair for their simultaneous operation; means for driving one of said first-named connected rollers; a clutch for connecting said means with and disconnecting it from said roller; means for driving one of said second-named connected rollers; a clutch for connecting said means with and disconnecting it from said lastnamed roller; a laterally-shifting wheel for operating said roller-driving means; and levers operatively connected with said shifting wheel to respectively operate the clutches to simultaneously connect the one clutch and disconnect the other clutch when the wheel is shifted to one side, and viceversa when the wheel is shifted to the other side.

6. The combination of two pairs of rollers; a strip fastened at its ends respectively to the rollers of one pair; a strip fastened at its ends respectively to the rollers of the other pair; sprocket-wheels fastened to the rollers respectively; a sprocket-chain connecting one sprocket-wheel of one pair with one sprocketwheel of the other pair for their simultaneous i operation; a sprocket-chain connecting the other sprocket-wheel of the one pair with the other sprocket-Wheel of the other pair for their' simultaneous operation; a sprocket\vheel for driving one of said first-named connected rollers; a clutch for connecting said driving sprocket-Wheel with and disconnecting it from said roller; a sprocket-wheel for driving one of said second-named connected rollers; a clutch for connecting said last-named driving sprocket-wheelwith and disconnectingit from said last-named roller; a master sprocketwheel; a sprocket-chain led around the master sprocket-wheel and the driving sprocketwheels for their simultaneeus operation; means for rotating the master sprocket-Wheel in one and the other direction; and means operatively connected with said master sprocket-wheel for simultaneously operating the clutch mechanisms to throw the one into and the other out of operation when the wheel is rotated in one direction, and vice versa when the wheel is rotated in the other direction.

7. The combination' of two pairs of rollers; a strip fastened at its ends respectively to the rollers of one pair; a strip fastened at its ends respectively to the rollers of the other pair; sprocket-wheels fastened to the rollers respectively; a sprocket-chain connecting one sprocket-wheel of one pair with one sprocketwheel of the other pair for their simultaneous operation; a sprocket-chain connecting the other sprocket-wheel of the one pair with the other sprocket-wheel of the other pair for their simultaneous operation; a sprocket-wheel for driving one of the first-named connected rollers; a clutch for connecting said driving sprocket-wheel with and disconnecting it from said roller; a sprocket=wheel for driving one of the second-named connected rollers; aclntch for connecting said last named driving sprocket-wheel with and disconnectingit from said last-named roller; a master sprocketwheel; a sprocket chain led around the master sprocket-wheel and the roller-driving sprocket-wheels for their simultaneous operation; means for rotating the master sprocketwheel in one and the other direction; means for shifting said master-wheel to one side when rotated in one direction and to the other side when rotated in the other direction; and means operatively connected with said master-wheel to respectively operate the clutches to simultaneously connect the one clutch and disconnect the other clutch when the Wheel is shifted to one side, and vice versa when the wheel is shifted to the other side.

8. The combination of two pairs of rollers; a strip fastened at its ends respectively to the rollers of one pair; a strip fastened at its ends respectively to the rollers of the other pair; sprocket -wheels fastened to the rollers respectively; a sprocket-chain connecting one sprocket-wheel of one pair with one sprocket- Wheel of the other pair for their simultaneous operation; a sprocket-chain connecting the other sprocket-wheel of the one pair with the other sprocket-Wheel of the other pair for their simultaneous operation; a sprocket- Wheel for driving one of the first named connected rollers; a clutch for connecting said sprocketwheel with and disconnecting it from. said roller; a sprocket wheel for driving one of the second-named connected rollers; a clutch for connecting said last-named sprocket-Wheel with and disconnecting it from said last-named roller; a master sprocketwheel; a sprocketchain led around the master sprocket-wheel and the roller-drivin g sprocket-wheels for their simultaneous operation; means for rotating the master sprocket-wheel in one and the other direction; means for shifting the master-wheel to one and the other side at its rotations in one and the other direction, respectively and IOO IIC

means operatively connecting a roller of one,

pair with a roller of the other pair to cause their simultaneous operation; means conn ecting the other roller of the one pair with theA other roller of the other pair for their simultaneous operation; a shaft; means for oper@ ating the shaft in one and the other direction; means for transmitting motion from the shaft to one of the-first-named connected rollers; means for transmitting motion fromy the shaft to one of the second-named connected rollers; clutches for respectively connecting said motion-transmitting means with their respective rollers and disconnecting them therefrom; and means operatively connected with the shaft for simultaneously op-V erating said clutch-operating means to connect the one and disconnect the other when the shaft is turned in one direction, and vice Versa when the lshaft is turned in the other direction.

IO. The combination of two pairs of rollers; a strip fastened at its ends respectively to the rollers of one pair; a strip fastened at its ends respectively to the rollers of the lother pair; means operatively connecting a roller of one, pair with a roller of the other pair; means op-v eratively connecting the other roller of the one pair with the other roller of the other pair; roller-operating means for driving one ofthe first-named connected rollers; roller-operating means for driving one of the second-named connected rollers; a shaft furnished with a screw-thread and operatively connected to drive said roller-operating means; a clutch for connecting and disconnecting one of said roller operating means 4`with and from its roller; a clutch for connecting and disconnecting the other roller-operating means with and from its roller; meansfor rotating the shaft; and meansV actuated by the screw for simultaneously disconnecting'one clutch and connecting the other clutch when the shaft is f turned in one direction, and viceversa when the shaft is turned in the other direction.

1l. In a directory, the combination with the stripvoperatingmeans, of a shaft; a master- Wheel having a limited lateral and rotary movementon said shaft; means connecting said wheel with vthe roller-operating means; two levers for throwing said roller-operating means into and out of operative position; and

means for shifting said'wheel in one direction to operatesaid levers to throw one of said roller-operating means into and the other of said roller-operating means out of operative position when the wheel is shifted in one direction, and vice 'versa when the wheel is shifted `in the other direction.

l 12. In a directory, a support; two sets of `rollers journaledtherein; a directory-ribbonl on each'set of rollers; means for connecting the corresponding rollers of each set to rotate lthem in unison; clutch lmechanism connected with both rollers of one set; a bifurcated lever for each clutch; a screw-threaded crankshaft; and a screw-threaded master-wheel mounted on said shaft and having its periphery within the bifurcations of said levers, said wheel being operatively connected with said set of rollers and adapted to be moved laterally upon its shaft when the direction of ro-y tation of the shaft is reversed.

V 13. `In` a directory, a casing provided with four sight-openings amaster-'Wheeh two sets ofrollers journaled in said casing; means for driving said rollers from the masterwheel; Ya directory-ribbon on each set of rollers, each side vof each'yribhon being Yprovided with names; means for exposing aportionof each side of each ribbon through one or theA other of said openings; and means for simultane ously moving said ribbons longitudinally in the same direction and autornaticallyrevers`- ing the direction offtheir movement as the direction of rotation of the` master-wheel is reversed.

In witness whereof I have signedmy name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, at Los Angeles, California, this 16th 'day of October, 1900.

eno.4 w. MAXWELL.

Witnesses: V

JAMES R. TowNsEND, JULIA TowNsEND.

IOC) 

